A Glorious Goose for New Year's Day

On New Year’s Day I finally fulfilled a long-held culinary desire: to roast a goose over the festive period. Every year when I watch ‘A Christmas Carol’ or read another wonderful sounding recipe for goose I think I’d love to cook one, but I just can’t bring myself to discard the turkey which I’ve eaten every year for Christmas lunch my whole life. But this year I thought I’d push the boat out and order not only a turkey from my butcher but a goose as well, for New Year’s Day – how decadent!

Rob and I invited the family for the feast but then I became concerned that there wouldn’t actually be enough goose to feed all 8 and a half of us as, although geese are large, they have large cavities and not a great amount of meat comparatively. Also I wasn’t sure what size we would get as the butcher could only give us a rough estimate. To guard against this I decided to also cook a chicken, which would also give the added benefit of me being able to offer an alternative if anyone didn’t like the goose.

Well I certainly needn’t have worried about the size of the goose – it was a very healthy 6kg – or anyone disliking it, but I am glad I cooked the chicken to bump up the meat offering as there was only just enough goose meat to go round. I thought they went rather well together actually, with the white, lighter chicken contrasting nicely against the dark, richer goose meat.

When it came to cooking the goose I pricked it all over to help the delicious fat escape and seasoned it well with salt and pepper. I decided to give it a hot blast for 30 minutes and then cooked it at a lower, but still hot, temperature for another 2 and a half hours and I was really pleased with how it came out. I served it with two stuffings – cranberry and sausage, and sausage, sage and onion – carrots, savoy cabbage and, of course, lots and lots of roast potatoes cooked in all that lovely goose fat which I regularly ladled out of the tray the goose was roasting in. You wouldn’t believe the amount that came out, but I’m not complaining; I still have lots in the fridge destined for more potatoes.

The goose was a real winner; everyone liked it. I thought it tasted a bit like a cross between duck and turkey. It was rich but not overpoweringly so, gamey but not too strong and moist but not fatty. I really enjoyed it and it certainly was festive when I brought it out in all its glory. I’m looking forward to cooking one again over the next Christmas period.

A Year in Pictures

Well the champagne has been popped, the glasses have been raised and here we are in 2009! I'm feeling very optimistic about this new year - 2008 was a generally a very good year for me and I hope that 2009 will be even better. But before I start looking forward I thought I'd take one last glance over my shoulder at the year that was, culinary speaking. So here is 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' 2008, in pictures (click on each photograph to view the associated blog post).

Wishing you all a very happy new year!

January



February



March



April




May



June



July



August



September



October



November



December

Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat

I’m so incredibly excited all of a sudden! Christmas is just around the corner and I have a fridge jam packed with Christmas goodies that I just can’t wait to start cooking and eating. I’ll admit it now: I’m gluttonous and I’m indulgent and, let’s face it, nothing brings out these rather wonderful qualities more than Christmas!

Yesterday afternoon while I stayed at home wrapping presents Rob braved the supermarket armed with a long list I’d typed out. He came back with bags of food and I immediately felt the excitement of Christmas descend as we unpacked them. There were only a few things left to buy after that mammoth shop such as the booze, which Rob bought this afternoon and the cheese, which I made up my mind I would buy at Neil’s Yard Dairy at Borough Market when I was there with a colleague the other day.



It was the first time I’d been to the shop and I was very impressed. My colleague was buying a selection of cheese for a friend’s dinner party and was given a friendly and personalised service to help him choose – and we got to taste some fabulous cheeses along the way.





For my Christmas cheese board I chose Stichelton, Waterloo and Isle of Mull Cheddar (you can view information about all of these here). Being a British cheese shop Neil’s Yard doesn't stock Brie, which I do love, so I bought a piece of that elsewhere to add to the selection.



Borough market was open today and I managed to pick up a stem of brussels sprouts while I wandered through, enjoying the very Christmassy atmosphere and taking in the sights of plump turkeys and hanging geese. It looked and felt a little like I’d stepped into ‘A Christmas Carol’ which I’ve been reading on my way to and from work. Certainly I’m full of Christmas spirit now!

Tinsel and Sparkle, Crackers and Lights

Last Sunday Rob and I went to choose our Christmas tree. I love doing this each year and, although the shops are full of gifts months before and Christmas songs are on the radio throughout December, bringing home the tree really marks the start of the festive season for me. Rob spotted this one and it's really lovely with a full, bushy shape. I'm a classic and traditional girl when it comes to the tree and every year I adorn it with gold and red baubles that shine under the little lights.

I'm feeling very festive now, although it took a while for that to happen and up until even last week I just could not believe that Christmas day is next week. The last six weeks (wow, six weeks!) since I started my new job have been like a whirlwind. It's a great time to start a new job though and I've been enjoying parties and lunches there as well as catching up with old colleagues. I'm off to another little gathering, at my Mum's, tonight and I think I'm going to be all partied out come Christmas day!

I've been so wrapped up in my new job that the Christmas preparations have pretty much been passing me by up until now. I felt a sense of panic threatening to descend upon me when I realised I only had a few weeks to go but, after ordering our turkey, a late night shop last Thursday night, a huge Amazon order and finally writing and posting our cards today to catch the last post for 1st class I now feel more that I can start to relax and enjoy the season. Bring on the food and drink!